Name: Ronda

"I am thinking of purchasing a single family home with a new builder in the Sahuarita area (not a master planned assoc. though) would you feel this would offer me the most appreciation for my dollar?  I will plan on holding the property for 2 to 4 years"

Sahuarita:

According to MLS sales data, the properties in Sahuarita have appreciated from a median of $120,000 to $180,000 on an average during the last  2 years . The properties with an acre on more in exclusive neighborhoods have seen even a higher appreciation. A 3 year MLS study of subdivision homes versus homes on 1 acre plus lots indicate that lot and block homes within subdivisions appreciated 25% while homes on larger parcels have appreciated 50%.  Bear in mind that if you plan to buy outside a master planned association, which are hugely popular in Sahuarita (Rancho Sahuarita being one), be certain you stay close to schools, shopping centers and travel corridors. Sahuarita´s easy access to Tucson´s core employers is one of the main reasons they are a top pick for growth experts. You can see form the map below that vacant, developable land surrounding Sahuarita and neighboring areas are growing at 12% compared to Tucson´s core which is estimated at 2-3% per year. 

Source: Tucson Newspapers

Sahuarita resident can access central Tucson & downtown with easy access via I-19. The schools in Sahuarita have been recognized for the potential and performance over the last few years.  The vocational programs have won national awards, with the National Automotive Diesel champion coming from Sahuarita High School. Golden Bell Awards for innovative programs have been received from the Arizona School Boards Association by Sahuarita High School and Sahuarita Elementary School according to the Sahuarita website: www.sahuarita.k12.az.us/

Source: Tucson Newspapers

Great links to learn more about Sahuarita can be found at:

Link:                                                          http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=11294

Boundary's with satellite overlay:           http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=Sahuarita,+AZ

Zoning info for County:                            http://www.ci.sahuarita.az.us/PDFs/zoning0703.pdf

General City info:                                            http://www.city-data.com/city/East-Sahuarita-Arizona.html

Regarding crime rates:                            www.ci.tucson.az.us (click on "crime statistics" located under the "Citizen Info")

Regarding school test scores:                  www.ade.state.az.us (click on ?AIMS Results´)

"I also am considering doing 1031 exchanges on rental property I have in another state what area would I target in at If I wanted to rent to the military employees (maybe get a 4plex?)"

DM growth and residential implications:

As many of you learned recently, DM Air force base survived the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). This means that DMAFB will add more troops and fighter planes to the airbase and the flight traffic to airbase may double in size. According to Tina West, a DM Housing advisor, areas around the DMAFB have seen a large increases in investment properties that cater to the military off base living and that the following are the some of the areas she has seen an influx of investment buying: 06 zip code (Alvernon and Valencia), Sahuarita ? Rancho Sahuarita, Vail, Rita Ranch. She said that she finds that most military renters do not want to drive more 25 minutes from the base. Sahuarita also has been mentioned regularly as one of the more popular rental locations recently. 

There´s a strong temptation to buy homes or multi-family properties just North of the DM entrance, however use caution as this area sports some pockets of the higher crime and gang activities in Tucson.  Properties have recently benefited from the overall market appreciation and are expected to continue to do so which eventually will price-out the lower end income families which both rent and own homes just North of DM.  Crime incidents for City of Tucson Year 2004

Anyone looking to cater to the growing demand for residential units for airbase employees may find the above stated areas attractive, but as a caution one needs to look at the flight path restrictions and noise corridors as well.  There is a high chance that the newer jet airplanes traffic might cause substantial noise disturbances in a fairly large corridor of central Tucson. The Pima County has zoning details that will allow investors to select the right neighborhood away from the flight path and noise corridors. The restrictions apply to the number of stories are density of population in certain zones. The county wants to avoid land uses which draw people in higher concentrations into the area, like churches, offices and restaurants.

Source : http://www.tucsonaz.gov/planning/codes/luc/art2div8.pdf#xml=http://www.tucsonaz.gov/cgi-bin/texis/webinator/search/xml.txt?query=davis+monthan+airport+environment+zone&pr=default&order=r&cq=&id=430e00506 (pg 155.8)

See:  www.azstarnet.com/sn/specialreports/66471.php

 The demand for recruits, plus families relocating in areas around DNAFB have been growing over the years and are expected to continue to do so.  The area has seen steady growth of 11-12% over the past two years.  Another strong reason to target DM personnel is the salaries for air force personnel ranges between average of $20,000 for E (enlisted) Grades 1-7 airmen to an average of $42,000 for O (officer) Grades 1-8 for tenure of 2yrs or less. The Air Force pays added incentive towards the education and housing of off airbase residents. This makes the air force families ideal for short-term rentals, although at a slightly higher rental rate then average wage earners in Tucson. However, all leases are subject to termination if they get called into active duty or relocated.

 FUTURE TUCSON:

New construction is still booming in Tucson which is because of the lowest interest rates ever in the history. The areas that have seen the most growth is Sahuarita and the North West areas of Oro valley.  The single family housing permits surpassed 1,000 in the month of May 2005. The median price of a resale home has also grown to $ 195,000 in May 2005. This means that the value of homes have grown $40,000 on an average across the board. With the Tucson population approaching the 1 million mark the large retailers find it a very attractive market to invest. Tucson has been rank # 10 in the population growth over all. Tucson experiences a constant flow of approximately 40, 000 new residents every year. Unlike other markets, Tucson real estate is still very affordable. The rising single family home sales and growing demand for condos also indicated that the real estate in Tucson will continue to grow at a steady pace over next few years.